I'll admit it, I shop at American Apparel. They have great basics and the concept of plain block colored clothing is a great one. However, often when I'm forking over cash in that store I find myself cringing. Yes, they're over-priced and cheaply made, but more than that I find their oversexed marketing to be a turn off.
The two models pictured above are professional (in fact I believe one is a porn star). If you'd like to see an example of America Apparel ads that are nearly soft-core porn, there are plenty of those too (NSFW). These ads I don't like, but if some aspiring model/actress wants to get naked for a brand, it's her business. To me there's a difference between having a professional model signing a contract and American Apparel's amateur ad campaigns. A model is in the business, chooses to wear next to nothing, be plastered all over the US, and (most importantly) he or she gets paid and a clear stipulation of how the image will be used. On the other hand, American Apparel now encourages young women to submit their own mostly-nude photos on their own time for free. Maybe I sound like a prude but there's something about an underage girl buying see-through mesh booty shorts, then going home to photograph her nearly naked ass and hopefully submitting those photos to a company to put all over the Internet, for free, that seems exploitative. Not to mention all the allegations of sexual harassment going on at American Apparel head quarters (apparently the boss likes to get handsy with his employees).
The latest American Apparel gimmick is a "search for the best bottom in the world" where users (pretty much all female, as far as I can tell, no naked male butts to ogle) can submit photos of their ass in some form of American Apparel clothing and vote on which are the best butts. Most of the women are next to naked and seem pretty young. There's just something so sad about these women's eagerness to be pure sex objects and to have their looks degraded online. People vote on these photos, like an all ass version of "Hot or Not". I seriously doubt the girls who submit photos spend a lot of time considering what it will feel like to have strangers call their butts ugly. One could argue that American Apparel is doing a good and anti-elitist thing, allowing normal girls to get a chance at modeling. I did a little checking up on this and I have to say after surfing the site, I did not see a single heavy girl, or less than attractive, or even remotely normal looking person. All the amateur models are very thin, pretty, and have nice racks. No diversity here.
Obviously I have some pretty strong feelings about this latest ad campaign, but maybe I'm totally off the mark. Are these girls taking ownership of their bodies or allowing themselves to be used? Is it a sexy ad or just trashy? Would this stop you from buying American Apparel?
UPDATE:
Apparently others are pissed with American Apparel too
NYC Protest
i feel very torn about american apparel... i love their basics too but i totally thought i was the only one thinking their advertising campaigns are overly sexual especially considering that such young girls would love to model for them...
ReplyDeletewont stop buying from em, but i totally agree with everything you said!
ReplyDeletemyglitteringcreation.blogspot.com
i'm pretty sure that everyone will disagree with me here, but i've never even liked american apparel. their ads turn me off, their prices turn me off, i'm not even impressed with how they're an american company.
ReplyDeleteand now, not only am i turned off, but i'm totally against them! i can't believe how inappropriate of a company they are! i'm glad you brought up this topic, i would've never known.
Interesting post... I was about to say, WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICAN APPAREL? when you were ashamed to admit that you shop there. And then I thought... wait, they are overpriced. They are cheaply made. And I had no idea that this kind of campaigning was going on. Thanks for the info. I agree, it is a little bit disturbing for a company to ask the public to find the "BEST BUTT"... just another way to define beauty and have girls OBSESSING over their weight/shape/size/face/etc.etc. And as usual, like the plus-size model wave, the girls who actually make it into the ads still fit a certain mold/ideal, and don't actually speak to the variety of shapes and sizes there are out there.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.carolineginthecity.blogspot.com
The new AA contest is disgusting. I am sure if these girls knew how much a professional model makes from a national campaign, they would not be so eager to give away their half-naked MySpace cell phone pictures for free. But of course, getting your five minutes of fame is worth doing almost anything for - for some people at least.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I almost typed I would never buy any of the crap they sell at AA.. but that is a lie. I like their leggings and their crazy-colored tights. The rest looks like it belongs in the wardrobe truck for an Eastern European porn flick shoot back in the 80s.
Great post and sorry about the rant...
Great post!!! I'm so glad someone else but me thinks the same way. I was afraid people started NOT caring about these ads that are basically pornographic all over the internet but it looks like I"m not alone. I don't buy from AA anymore. I bought my husband's shirts from there but I'm not anymore. I'm so SICK of seeing their ads!!
ReplyDeleteclothedmuch.blogspot.com
I fully agree - I am sorry to say that the girls who submit these photos are just acting dumb (notice I said "acting" not that they are dumb) Its like Girls Gone Wild - anything to be "famous". You know the saying "you can only be taken advantage of if you let yourself" Girls just need to say NO to this type of "advertising/media" campaign. I loved your post!!
ReplyDeletei think the american apparel ads are tasteless, but also incredibly funny. they make so little attempt to classify their advertisements as anything but soft-core porn that they cross the line between subtle sexual innuedo in ads to downright explicit sexual content.
ReplyDeleteI don't own a single thing from American Apparel, I think they are so disgustingly tacky. I literary have no words.
ReplyDeleteI think that the girls clearly are taking ownership over their won bodies, but in the end, they just end up feeling used. That's how it seems, anyways. Even I've made fun of the girls in their adds!
What kind of an role-model is a porn star, anyways?
I have always been against American Apparel. I have never been into one of their stores and I own nothing made by them because of my own disgust with their ads. And I didn't even know half of what you posted here! That is beyond disturbing. After seeing the semi-pornographic ads, though, I can't say I'm very surprised.
ReplyDeleteUs Americans should think long and hard about buying from a company like this that has so many shady things going on, but bills itself as "all-American." That is not the version of America that I want to be affiliated with, personally.
i like the way you updated the post! of course i read it again, haha. i was actually talking to residents about the american apparel issue and we talked about (aside from being ridiculous) how sad the whole concept is. i mean, from my understanding, the whole point of american apparel as a business is for vertical integration in the US and to promote american culture? then is american apparel the model of what a completely american business runs like? i mean, that's nothing but just... sad.
ReplyDeleteugh. i agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments, and when an acquaintance from college posted about this best booty competition on facebook I cringed. and felt sad. i am my whole self, not just a body part.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Apparel's advertising tactics had turned me away from the brand before I ever tried any of their items. Their overtly sexualized campaigns made me feel like I couldn't identify with the brand. That said, many girls do identify with it - so much, in fact, that they're willing to expose themselves and send photos into a corporation. But the fact of the matter is that American Apparel is a business and, sadly, if they keep upping the sexual ante, it's because they're making money - successfully.
ReplyDeleteomg i just heard about this butt contest, its so sad. and im sure the girls give american apparel the rights to the photos once theyre submitted aka that thousands of photos of young girls asses in their clothes that american apparel can use with out having to pay a cent
ReplyDeletemy boyfriend laughs at these aa adds cuz it is very sexual. if you watch current tv they too make fun of it! i guess for me, its whatever works for them, both the company and their models.
ReplyDeletethis is such a great post. i've read a lot of articles over the years about all the controversies regarding american apparel and their overly sexual advertising. getting an email from them about the "best bottom in the world" reminded me of all that and how they really haven't improved despite all the accusations. even though i'm not very fond of their advertising, i'd have to say i'd probably continue buying their products because they do have a lot of great and innovative pieces (that are way overpriced, haha). loved reading this :)
ReplyDeleteI rarely buy from American Apparel ... I have to say in my heart of hearts though, the fact that they do not use cheap labors trumps their advertising campaigns though.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Never been a fan of American Apparel. I'm way too much of a cheapskate to pay their prices for "basics" anyway. I wasn't aware of this contest they have going on, and it's pretty repulsive. Blech.
ReplyDelete